1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric connector receptacle, and particularly to an electric connector receptacle adapted to a modular connector that is used for telephone sets, measuring instruments, and the like, and to a method of producing the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, small and cheaply constructed connectors called modular connectors have been much used in the telephone sets, measuring instruments, data processors, and small computers. A modular connector of this kind has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 37800/1980. As shown in a perspective view of FIG. 14 and a section view of FIG. 15 in the accompanying drawings, this modular connector consists of a modular connector receptacle 10 and a modular connector plug 20. An insulating housing 11 of the modular connector receptacle 10 is made of a plastic material, and is mounted on a printed board by a mounting leg 13. The insulating housing 11 has a plug inserting end 11A, a rear end 11B, and a plug inserting hole 12 which stretches inwardly from the plug inserting end 11A. The plug inserting hole 12 is surrounded by an inner lower wall 12A, an inner upper wall 12B and a pair of inner side walls 12C. The insulating housing 11 further has an outer lower wall 13A, an outer upper wall 13B, and a pair of outer side walls 13C. The outer lower wall 13A has the mounting leg 13 formed as a unitary structure. The mounting leg 13 is inserted in a hole formed in the printed board 30, so that the connector receptacle 10 is mechanically mounted on the printed board 30.
The insulating housing 11 is provided with a plurality of recessed portions 14 arranged between the inner upper wall 12B and the outer upper wall 13B at the plug inserting end 11A. These recessed portions 14 are connected to a plurality of grooves 15 formed in the outer upper wall 13B. Grooves 15 in the outer upper wall 13B are separated by partitioning walls 15A. Grooves 15 and partitioning walls 15A stretch beyond the rear end 11B of housing 11 down to a lower portion of the outer lower wall 13A. The plug inserting hole 12 has a retainer surface 16. In the insulated housing 11 are arranged a plurality of contacts 17 in parallel at intervals. Each contact 17 has a slender intermediate portion 17A which stretches across the outer upper wall 13B and which is downwardly curved at a portion 17B. The intermediate portion 17A has a tail portion 17C which downwardly stretches across the rear end 11B of the insulating housing 11. A spring contact portion 17D of the contact 17 protrudes aslantly into the plug inserting hole 12 from the curved portion 17B that is placed in the recessed portion 14. The rear end of tail portion 17C of each contact 17 protrudes beyond the outer lower wall 13A, and is soldered to a conductor of the printed board 30.
The inner lower wall 12A has a central recessed portion 18 which is tilted downwardly and which stretches to the plug inserting end 11A. A pair of shoulder portions are provided on both sides of the central recessed portion 18 to define a retainer surface 16. The shoulder portions are directed to the rear end 11B of housing 11 to engage with shoulder portions of a latch arm 21 of the plug connector 20.
As shown well in FIG. 15, the plug 20 is inserted in the plug inserting hole 12 of connector receptacle 10 mounted on the printed board 30, so that shoulder portions of the latch arm 21 engage with the retainer surface 16. Then, the plug 20 is coupled to the connector receptacle 10 with the spring contact portions 17D of contacts 17 being electrically contacted to the corresponding contact portions 22 of the plug 20.
The electric connector receptacle of the type mentioned above has the latch member 21 positioned under the plug connector 20. Therefore, there is no likelihood that the latch member is accidentally depressed, and the plug 20 is removed from the receptacle 10. Further, the connector receptacle is of the construction which cannot be easily tinkered with by a child, and the plug 20 will not be removed from the receptacle 10 unexpectedly. The connector receptacle, however, has problems as described below.
That is, in the conventional connector receptacle 10, the contacts 17 arranged in the insulating housing 11 run in a manner to surround the upper wall of housing starting from the rear end 11B of the insulating housing 11, passing on the upper wall 13B down to a portion under the inner upper wall 12B. Therefore, it is difficult to insert the contacts 17 into the insulating housing 11 after they have been folded into a predetermined shape. According to the conventional connector receptacle, therefore, the contact members are arranged at predetermined positions on the insulating housing, and are then folded into a predetermined shape, requiring very cumbersome operation and increased periods of time, causing the cost of the connector to increase. According to the conventional connector receptacle, furthermore, the intermediate portions 17A of contacts 17 are completely exposed in the grooves 15, presenting the probability of accident such as short-circuit amont the contacts when dust and dirt are built up thereon.
The object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an electric connector receptacle while eliminates the above-mentioned problems inherent in the conventional art, and a method of producing such an electric connector receptacle.